Tender Is The Night(36)

     



 

"Since there are two of us, maybe we can do a little of both." She  paused. "Putting aside the old roommates and Baines, let's talk about  the book signing. We know that Dillingsworth and Gerilyn Connors will  probably be there. Can we tie them in any way to Baines?"

"I don't see any connection. They're not close to the same age group."  He thought for a moment. "Unless it's the firefighter link."

"Between Brad Connors and Baines or Dillingsworth and Connors?"

"Both." He met her gaze. "It's a stretch, but it's possible that Baines  and Connors could have met because of Baines's interest in firefighting.  The high school counselor said that Baines shadowed at a firehouse."

"How long ago was Connors fired for substance abuse problems?" she asked.

"Four years."

"The fires started five years ago."

"I know that doesn't match up. But I believe he was a firefighter for  over ten years, which would have put him in a firehouse while Baines was  in high school." He paused as the waiter set down their food. "This  looks good."

"Broccoli beef, cashew chicken, and vegetable chow mein. I hope you like it," Kate said.

"I'm sure I will."

As he ate, his mind continued to process the information he'd gotten at  the bar. By the time he'd cleaned his plate, he was feeling full but  still restless. "We're missing something," he said to Kate.

"I feel the same way. There's something we're not seeing, but I don't know what it is."

"I should know. I've been thinking about nothing but this case for eighteen months."

"Maybe you're too close, both to the victim and to the case."

"Close, not close enough … what's the difference? I still don't have any  answers, and I have one shot left to catch this guy before he goes  underground again. He knows someone is on to him, whether he knows  exactly who is another question, but there was no doubt that he was  aware he was being chased."

"I wonder how that will change his behavior," she mused. "Maybe it's  good we're out there, being very visible. If Baines possibly reached out  to Sam with information about the arsonist, maybe someone else will do  the same thing with us."

"That would be a miracle." He paused. "I know. You believe in miracles."

"I do believe, but I don't wait for them to happen. I try to make my own luck."

"Well, I'd like to think we could shake another Good Samaritan loose,  but considering what happened to Rick Baines, I doubt anyone is going to  come rushing to help us."

"Good point. There's still a reward, isn't there?"

"Yes. It's still there."

"Maybe we need to publicize it again."

"That's a thought." But he wasn't convinced publicity or a reward was  going to be enough. He glanced at his watch. "Let's go to the book  signing. We've moved a little away from Dillingsworth and Connors, but I  still think it's a huge coincidence that they're both involved in the  same event. I'd like to see how they interact with each other."

"And hopefully we can get one or both of them to talk to us."



* * *



Market Lane Books took up the entire first floor of a three-story,  turn-of-the-century building whose décor had been inspired by the Gold  Rush. While the exterior of the building was gray granite, the interior  boasted mahogany walls, porcelain-tiled floors, and carved marble  pillars. But the opulent architecture and design was definitely showing  signs of age and strain, Kate thought, noting serious cracks in the  marble and gouges in the floor, hence the fundraiser to restore the  building to its former glory.

"This must have been magnificent in its day," she said to Devin as they  wandered around the tall shelves of books. The aisles were crowded with  the San Francisco elite, who appeared to be more interested in mingling  and sipping on champagne than talking about books. She suspected that  most of the attendees were not actually readers but probably more  interested in being at the fashionable fundraiser, which was hosted not  only by Gerilyn Connors's architectural firm but also the mayor's  office.

"It's a cool space," Devin commented, his gaze fixed on the man signing books at the front of the store. "Let's get in line."

"We can't ask Ron Dillingsworth questions in an autographing line," she  said. "Let's wait until he's done and catch him then." She glanced down  at the program she'd been given. "It says here the signing will go until  eight. That's twenty minutes from now."

"He could disappear right after. We might miss our chance."

"We'll block him. Don't worry. We won't let him go without a conversation."         

     



 

"All right." His gaze swept the room, and he tensed. "Brad Connors is here."

"Really? I thought he and Gerilyn had a bitter divorce. Why would he be here?"

"No idea. At one point, Gerilyn had a restraining order against Brad."

"They look pretty friendly tonight," she said, following his gaze.

Brad Connors appeared to be in his mid-forties. He had sandy brown hair  and a thick moustache. His build was sturdy and solid. He looked like a  man who'd be comfortable rushing opponents on a football field.  According to the bio Devin had worked up on him, that's exactly what  he'd done until he was about twenty-five-years old. Then he'd gone into  firefighting and had excelled at the job until a growing problem with  drugs and alcohol eventually ended his marriage and his career.

"Let's say hello," Devin said.

She had a feeling it wasn't going to be a friendly hello, but she  followed Devin across the room. Devin had interviewed Brad and Gerilyn  after Sam's death, and judging by the way the couple tensed when they  saw Devin, the memory of those interviews was not a good one.

"What are you doing here?" Brad demanded. He then turned to glare at his ex-wife. "Did you know he was coming?"

"No, of course not," Gerilyn said nervously.

Gerilyn was a thin woman with blonde hair and brown eyes. She wore a  form-fitting sheath dress with heels and gave Devin a wary look. "Why  are you here?"

"I like books about fires," he said.

"You need to leave," Brad said. "This is my wife's event."

"Don't you mean your ex-wife?" Devin asked.

Brad put his arm around his wife's shoulders. "We've reconciled."

"And we don't want any more trouble," Gerilyn added.

"There was another fire last night," Devin said. "At a recreation  center. And last Monday, there was a fire at a school. The arsonist is  back in business."

"There are fires every day in this city," Brad said. "They don't have anything to do with us."

"Did you know Rick Baines?" Devin asked.

"The arsonist?" Gerilyn asked.

"The man who was killed with my partner was not the arsonist," Devin replied.

"I thought the case was closed," Gerilyn said.

"It's not," Kate said, stepping forward. "I'm Kate Callaway-"

"Callaway?" Brad interrupted. "Are you related to Jack Callaway?"

"I'm his niece."

"Then you should have more respect for a firefighter."

"I have nothing but respect for firefighters," she returned. "But I'm  also a special agent with the FBI. We've reopened the arson case. Devin  is helping me get up to speed. That's why we're here. I wanted to talk  to you."

"Well, let me help get you up to speed," Brad said aggressively. "I used  to be a firefighter. I had a lot of problems with my wife and her job,  and that made me do things I'm not proud of. Those things did not  include torching the buildings she was working on. Understood?" He  didn't wait for an answer. "Now I'm sober, and I have been for the last  six months. I'm turning my life around. I'm back with Gerilyn, and we  are moving on from the past. I was not guilty before and I am not guilty  now. Whatever suspicious fires have occurred in the last week have  nothing to do with me."

He sounded sincere, Kate thought. He'd acknowledged his bad behavior and  made a point of how he'd turned his life around. It was a solid  argument.

"Brad is a changed man," Gerilyn added. "I'm sorry I ever implied that  he could be guilty of burning down those buildings, because he had  nothing to do with any of that. I know you're just doing your job, but  Brad is innocent, and he's working hard on his life."

Gerilyn could be blinded by love, but Kate was inclined to believe her,  too. She did, however, have one other question. "It's interesting to me  that you're hosting this event with Ron Dillingsworth, a person who is  also of interest in the arson investigation. It's an odd coincidence."

"He's a bestselling local author. This is a bookstore. We're trying to  raise money so we can save this building," Gerilyn said. "There's  nothing more to it than that. I didn't know he was a suspect in the  case."